12/14 FIRST RIDE TO THE AREA
Like much of the West looks pretty low on snow. Gold creek has really no snow down low, normal parking at gravel pit has 6" and bare south facing slope and timbered areas. When you drive the Mineral Mt road, icy as all get out with 8" of snow on the road and bare south facing timbered slopes down low, then as you hit the start of USFS and the road switchbacks, enough snow to unload the sled, but some dweeb drove his wooped up 4 wheel drive all the way to the sign at the 513 trail head / two track over to Shoo Fly meadows, so nasty ride.
However from Shoo Fly to the look out good coverage, slow boondocking ok, gate not covered below the lookout but only lacking 8" or so of doing that. I would say close to 4ft or better at the slopes at the lookout cause the rock slides etc are well covered.
So the big meadow is as good as it gets, lots of snow to zoom around, just getting there is a challenge. Crusty snow up to 513 trail, then pretty nice but very firmed up snow, only powder up around the lookout.
Like much of the West looks pretty low on snow. Gold creek has really no snow down low, normal parking at gravel pit has 6" and bare south facing slope and timbered areas. When you drive the Mineral Mt road, icy as all get out with 8" of snow on the road and bare south facing timbered slopes down low, then as you hit the start of USFS and the road switchbacks, enough snow to unload the sled, but some dweeb drove his wooped up 4 wheel drive all the way to the sign at the 513 trail head / two track over to Shoo Fly meadows, so nasty ride.
However from Shoo Fly to the look out good coverage, slow boondocking ok, gate not covered below the lookout but only lacking 8" or so of doing that. I would say close to 4ft or better at the slopes at the lookout cause the rock slides etc are well covered.
So the big meadow is as good as it gets, lots of snow to zoom around, just getting there is a challenge. Crusty snow up to 513 trail, then pretty nice but very firmed up snow, only powder up around the lookout.
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